20 Weeks

Whooaaaaaa! We're halfway there (How????). It is really starting to hit home that this is really happening. My bump has transformed from a questionable pudge to a weirdly hard, round object. It is just the weirdest thing in the world to look in the mirror and do a double take at my budding roundness. My stomach has also become increasingly itchy which is mostly just embarrassing when I keep shoving my hands up my shirt in public to scratch it. I make being sexy ultra easy to do. Sel's a proud husband of this glamorous preggo chick.  Speaking of Sel, he honestly is so incredible. He has been so sweet and patient with my slightly pathetic self. He constantly insists that I let him do whatever chore stuff I normally do. He also left me the sweetest note the other day at my work,

“Dear Lauren, You are so beautiful! Thank you for being the mother to our child. I am so excited to be a parent with you and to see this child love his mother like I do”

I am so excited for this little boy and equally as excited to be a parent with Sel. I know it will be the hardest and best thing we have ever done together. Bring on parenthood world!

Today we had our 20 week appointment and it was fantastic. Turns out we are for sure having a boy. Excuse the slightly scandalous image here proving as such, but there really is no mistaking his XY. He also was sleeping on his stomach throughout the whole ultrasound and so we (somewhat awesomely) couldn't see his face or heart. This translates into another ultrasound for us and Mr. Mini Sel in 4 weeks! Wahoo! I am zero percent opposed to seeing this little guy as much as I can. I was slightly bummed I didn't get to see his little face again this time around, BUT 4 more weeks of him getting bigger will make an even better picture for us. 

Very obvious baby boy part. 

People have been SO incredibly kind to us since we found out what we are having (not that they weren't incredibly kind before that). One amazingly nice friend gave us a HUGE box of boy clothes starting at newborn and ending at 18 months, a bumbo, a Graco snap stroller thing,a box of super comfy maternity clothes and some adorable flannel swaddle blankets she made herself. I actually cried a little bit (cause I do it all the time) when I got home because I was so overwhelmed with gratitude. I also had another incredible friend give me a box of her maternity work clothes to borrow and they are heaven sent. We have been treated with such an enormous amount of kindness here in Toledo that I hardly know what to do with myself. I could go on for days about how much I love our friends and ward family here in T-town. 

All of those who are easily offended by normal "woman" things should jump ship before I delve into some of the better parts of the appointment today. 

All aboard? Okay, so the ultrasound tech let me know it's typical to check your cervix at 20 week. She then goes on to say how they just check it with a transducer that is more or less a big tampon. I don't know where this lady is buying her tampons, but these things are like five times the size of a jumbo platex. I mean, I know I am going to give birth to a human with the head the size of a bowling ball in a few short months, BUT I would like to thing most people have been straight up with me when they say that it's like pushing a watermelon out. No one yet has tried to tell me baby heads are comparable to a small lemon. 

I think it is pretty hilarious and awesome that Platex decided to make tampons look extra trendy by making them bright colors. Who wouldn't want to buy something like that, eh?

A tampon times 5

The sonographer then went on to tell me how beautiful my cervix was. She looked me straight in the eyes and actually told me, "You have a really beautiful cervix".  I was understandably flattered as this is something I have tried my whole life to perfect about myself. I told her that we could met up anytime over hot coco and talk about all the ways I keep my cervix looking simply gorgeous. 

Also it is a well known fact amongst my friends and family that my bladder is about the size of a jelly bean. While doing the ultrasound (that maybe last 30 minutes) the sonographer had me go to the bathroom THREE times because it kept just filling right on up and she could see it on her screen every time it did. I almost asked her to measure how big my bladder is just for future reference. 

Last thing, HOW in the world are we supposed to pick a name for a human being?! A human being who will go through school with children (who can turn any name into something to be embarrassed about), who will apply to jobs with his given name, and who will introduce himself to all his lady friends with whatever name we end up picking for him? Way too much pressure for me to handle. I guess we will just wait until he says his first word and then just call him that. "Ball Warden" or Dada Warden has a pretty nice ring to it don't you think? 

Mustache necklace for the little lumberjack. Can you imagine how funny a little baby with a mustache would be? I can. It will become a reality in about 4.5 months when I paint one on our infant son.  

Liebster Award

My friend Emily nominated me for a Liebster award and I am all sorts of flattered. If you haven’t checked out her blog yet, you really should. She is a crack up and always seems to be having some sort of noteworthy adventure. Also, if you are of the male gender she is a babe. I promise you will be entertained by her.

And now here are my responses to her well thought up questions.

1. What is your favorite food?
Does chocolate count as a food? If not, definitely raspberries.

2. What is one thing you want to do this year?
Dress my up and coming son as Snape for Halloween. Can you imagine how hilarious a baby in a black wig would be? I can. It's honestly one of the best images my brain has ever come up with. Oh and also throw a Harry Potter themed Halloween party. 

3. What is the most scandalous(that you're willing to share) thing you've ever done? 
Once my sister and I went skinny dipping the hotel pool in the middle of nowhere Wyoming. What wild kids we were, eh? 

4. Pictures say a thousand words, share a photo that means the most to you. Why is that picture important to you? 
I can't even begin to describe how much I love this picture! Sel and I came up with the idea while we were taking our bridals in some stranger's backyard. I think it just sums up how we both really don't take ourselves very seriously and have bushels of fun together. 

5. Favorite hair/make up product of the moment?
I am going to go with a rubberband. I am sadly not very up on my hair or make-up products. The most effort I expend lately is some mascara and a ponytail. I know how to make drab look straight up..boring.  

6. If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
Either Germany or the Netherlands. Germany because Sel loves it so freaking much and it was pretty amazing when we went together. The Netherlands because I have never been more enchanted with a place in my life.

7. How did you choose the name of your blog? 
My maiden name is King which lead to me thinking about what Kings do and BAM-the legit name of my blog was born. 

8. What is your favorite blog?
How could I possibly pick? I am a huge blog stalker even of people I don't know. I guess any blog that makes me happy is a favorite in my book. 

9. What is your favorite movie quote?
I love LOTR with such a fiery passion and my main man Aragorn
  A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! 

10. What's the best advice you've ever been given? 

Man, these are hard! I guess anything I've ever learned about the gospel of Jesus Christ. That every human being is a child of God and deserves to be treated as such. 

11. What is your favorite blog post you've written? 
Hum, that's a hard way. The one that took the most effort and emotion was when I blogged about my abuse. That was a rough one to write, but the one that I actually talked about something other than how annoyingly obsessed with Sel I am.  

Lanterns, St. Julians & Rotkohl

Valentines this year was the bomb.com. I woke up Vday morning to red velvet pancakes and a plethora of unexpected presents from Sel. He was so sneaky! After work, we made an absolutely delicious German dinner - homemade spaetzle, chicken schnitzel with shrooms, and rotkhol. I could eat a pound of rotkhol everyday, all day. If you haven't tried it, you should. We also found this amazing sparkling grape juice over New Years that puts Welches to shame. It's called St. Julian's and it's made in none other than the best state in the U.S of .A.(Michigan). We have been hunting for it ever since New Years with no luck until…Sel the Stud found it the day before Vday! Oh.my.heavens. I know I am talking a lot about food right now and you probs don't care, but that bottle of heaven is worth dedicating more than a few words to. 

After eating like kings, we drove to Oak Openings Metropark. It was sooo beautiful! The volunteers gave us a lantern and sent us on our 30 minute walk through the pines. The lantern was lit by a real candle, mind you, and I was a little bit worried I was going to accidentally kill the flame and we would be stranded in the dark. Honestly, we would have been completely fine if that had happened since there were little tea candles in bags all along the path and they had two fire stations set up too. That was such a cool part about the date! We made s'mores at the first fire and warmed up a bit. I wish I had gotten a picture of the volunteer helping at the first fire because she had mittens made out of two skunk and they still had bits of their faces. Super weird or super cool? I am going with a both for that one. 

Near the very end of our woodland journey, we had to cross a frozen lake. Sel was not a fan. He was paranoid the entire time it was going to break and wouldn't let me talk for fear he would miss the tell-tale sound of ice cracking.

We ended our little romantic romp at the park lodge where we were showered in chocolaty goodness. They had a fancy gourmet hot chocolate bar, fresh fruit, all sorts of cheeses, cakes, and a wonderful selection of chocolates. 

My love language obviously must be food because I more or less talked about it this WHOLE post. Whoops! Hope your day was equally as fun!

Vday breakfast surprise. Sel got me my favorite Rittersport & Lindt, warheads, flowers, and a fluffy monkey for our bambino. Also notice St. Julians being perfect in the background. 

Sel looking extra dashing and Valentines-ish in his red tie and shirt. I also am impaired and couldn't figure out on my phone how to fix his red eye. 

This was on the frozen lake. I had a slight urge to steal some of the candles. Life is rough when you are a candle addict. 

Sel looks SO frightened and frightening in this picture. :) I am a little bit in love with it. 

We ran into our amazing friend who has kept us in the loop about all the fun parks happenings. Thanks Laura for helping us find such splendid things to entertain ourselves with!

Happy Love of Chocolate Day!

Happy Love Day everyone! I know Valentines is tinsy bit commercialized, but I love any excuse to have a celebration. I can especially get behind a holiday meant to celebrate love/chocolate/my love of chocolate. 

The other night I was going through a journal I wrote Sel the year we were dating and gave to him on our wedding day. Looking back, it is a bit comical how I feared all these things I listed in my letter. Sel has been the most fun and best thing that has every happened to me. I am pretty sure I gave him this 3 days before we got married. 

Dear Sel, 

Marriage has been something I have feared for a long time. I had this overwhelming fear of losing my identity in the bonds of matrimony. I feared I would no longer be able to do the things I love the very most. I feared of showing someone all my flaws and having them reject me for them. I feared loving someone more than I have ever loved anyone else and having them wrenched from my life unexpectedly. I feared I would not be the perfect person my future spouse deserved. 

Falling in love with you, my dear, has shown me how foolish my fears were. I wasn't able to discover who I truly was until I found you. The person I was before was only a watercolor of the person I am now that I know you. You splashed the vivid colors of your soul on the rough outline of my being and brought to life the person I was always meant to be. 

The things I loved before you pale in comparison to the thing I love the very most: being with you. Simply sitting in the same room with you brings me more joy than any other thing beforehand did. 

You love me despite my flaws. You make me feel like the person I always wanted to be and you motivate me to make myself better every single day. I am still terrified you will wake up someday soon and realize you simply cannot live with a person like me. The little things I do that are annoying (having major melt downs about not major things, my neediness, my elaboration of the truth, my morning breath( will end up driving you away. I know the wonderful, patient and forgiving man that you are would not just wake up and leave me, but I fear nonetheless. 

The fear is not vanquished yet. In fact, it has only heightened the deeper in love with you I have fallen. Life without you would be nothingness. What would I live for if not you? How would I wake up in the morning knowing I would never see your face, hear your laugh, kiss your lips, feel the beating of your heart, listen to the beautiful words you say, watch the remarkable things you daily do? At this point, I don't think I could do it. I know my fear will lessen or at least I will know how to wake up should the unspeakable happen. I shudder to ever let my mind consider a world without you, but I know that the promises we are about to make will ensure we would see one another again. 

The fear of being imperfect is ironic the more I have considered it. Yes, I do wish I were in a more perfect condition for you for that is what you deserve. Yet, we know no one can achieve perfection without being married. Together you and I will someday obtain perfection. You and I together will weather the trials that will come our way and let them mold the both of us as one into more perfect beings. 

I felt the need to write this today as I pondered why my heart keeps clenching up in spasms of fear as our wedding day draws near. Writing this calmed me and helped me acknowledge why I am fearful. As you have mentioned, I am going to have "hot feet" the day of, but it is also a bit of a terrifying thing. We are stepping into a world we have never known, yet will know for the rest of our mortal and immortal existence. I look forward to all we will encounter with joy knowing no matter what happens, we will always have one another. I love you. 

Oh and what a joy life has been with him and continues to be. Happy V-Day all! Hope you get your hands on some supreme chocolate! 

Sneaking some of our food before the reception. We were determined to be able to get some of it. Also, how legit are the shot glasses of milk to dip your cookies in? Answer, waaay legit. 

This kid goes along with all my ridiculous/weird ideas and luckily comes up with some pretty great ones on his own. Our Benjamin Button costumes were all his idea. 

This one makes me miss Utah sooooo much. 

Sugar & Spice

The day after we found out we are having a little boy, we got to celebrate the up and coming girl addition to the family! 

My first little niece should be making her grand appearance in a few short weeks and I can hardly wait. In fact, I get to add a niece AND a nephew to my list of favorite humans alive this month. Babies everywhere in the Warden family this year. 

I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with the shower originally because I am my grandmother's granddaughter and cannot for the life of me go small and simple for a party. 

Instead of talking about all my attempts at crafting, baking and cooking for this little shower of love, go ahead and check out these lovely little numbers. 

I made those little pom pom balls myself. One of them ended up more heart shape than I wanted it, but hey, I crafted and it wasn't a completed failure

We later added tomato tortellini soup to the crockpot, a platter of rolls, a bunch of candy to the other platter and some scrumptious cherry 7-up sherbet punch. It was seriously delish. 

Those beautifully frosted cupcakes were done by Selface. He is such a rockstar of a husband. He helped with the prep for this SO much. Also, notice the little Sugar & Spice signs in the back..totally made those babies. 

I asked Kari to bring some baby pictures and then we clipped them onto the poms. I've always thought my sis-in-law has a really sweet face and obviously she has had it every since she was little. Once a cutie, always a cutie.  

The sweet ladies of Toledo really know how to give adorable and perfect gifts. This little girl is going to look fly everyday all day. Especially since her mom is an expert accesorizer AND a hair stylist. Wins all around. 

And there are the two stars of the show and by that I mean Kari and her adorbs baby bump. She matched the theme really well with her adorable pink pom earrings, pink chevron scarf and extra comfy soft shirt. I had a strong desire to nuzzle her arm after putting my arm around her.

It was a funny challenge getting this all together since my brain packed it's bags a few weeks ago. I feel like an Alzheimer patient all day, everyday. I had to call Kari an hour before the shower and ask her to get ice and cups because I totally spaced it. Thanks Kari for making our two half pregnancy brains = one mostly functioning one when we are together.

Come on baby niece Warden! Can't wait to see your cute self!

Little Lumberjack

Boy oh Boy! OH BOY!

We are having a BOY! Our 20 week appointment is scheduled the last week in February, but I decided awhile ago to surprise Sel on Valentine's Day by taking him a ultrasound clinic to find out the gender of our baby. Well, I had also put us on the waiting list for a fun Valentine's Date in the woods through the metropark. I found out on Monday that we made it off the waiting list for the parks date night and had to reschedule our gender reveal appointment to….TONIGHT

When we got to the ultrasound clinic I was practically hyperventilating because I was so excited. Sel and I looked at each other right before the tech came in the room and mouthed "Girl" to one another. She got her magic wand all ready and our sweet little baby popped up on the screen. It was obvious right away that we were very wrong. He was not at all shy about shaking the goods around. He was also practicing some excellent yoga and showing off his super impressive handstand skills. He had one hand making sure everything was still developing okay downstairs and he had another hand raising the roof..probably because he was super duper proud about not leaving us hanging on what he was. 

We were both in shock because we were SO convinced it was a girl. Not a single person guessed it was a boy with the exception of my dad..sort of. At 8 weeks when we told my parents we were expecting he told me my "face looks like I am having a boy". I was like, "Dad..stop being strange and pretending you are some sort of oracle or palm reader from New Orleans". Turns out he was right at 8 weeks and dead wrong with the rest of us for the next 10 weeks. 

When we got back to the car I started laugh-crying. I was a hot, happy mess of delight. I couldn't stop talking about dressing him in little bow ties and suspenders and forcing his baby self to be Professor Snape for Halloween (Seriously though, imagine a tiny infant in a jet black wig and HP robes). I have been floating around on a little bubble of happiness all night long. It is really starting to hit home that we are going to be parents (holy cow, poor kid). I am having a SON! I am going to be chasing a little chub all around and poking his belly and wrestling his rowdy little self.
Also, I cannot wait to see Sel be a father to a little boy. One of the biggest reasons I am signing onto parenthood is to see him be the most adorable little dad there ever was. 

The little line right about his nose is his femur. If you think this is crazy flexible, just wait. 

Here he checks out the bottom of his feet

Heart rate 145. He's got a great little ticker

Well, there were some images that were better than this..but if you know what you are looking at, it's pretty easy to see what he certainly isn't shy about

And here is where I got concerned that we are still expecting an alien because he was able to get his feet allll the way over there. Win us a Gold someday little gymnast! 

17 Weeks

17 weeks! 4+ months pregnant. How did this even happen? The first trimester went by soooo slowly for me. I just kept anxiously counting the days until I reached the “safe” zone in terms of miscarrying. I have been reading lots of friends blogs (and some strangers cause I am a freak) about their pregnancies and I feel so very, very grateful for how wonderfully pregnancy has treated me so far. I thankfully have only thrown up once and only felt a little bit nauseous here and there. My main issue first trimester was having some really impressive belching. Sel was a wee bit jealous I think of how loud and often that was happening. Also, I think a bit thrown off since I usually burp just about never. Also, I have somehow lost about 8-10 pounds since getting pregnant. The weirdest part is I really haven’t been sick enough to not eat and have reduced my usual workout intensity. I guess this kid is just a powerhouse of burning calories. We went to the baby doc on Thursday and he said you look dang fine girl! (Joke, my OB is the most serious man I have ever met and I love him for it). He said everything is measuring great. The baby 's heart rate was 158bpm and he was all sorts of impressed with my blood and iron count. And by impressed, I mean he looked dryly at the screen and told me to keep up the good work.  Being pregnant has honestly been a pretty great experience so far. Since it’s been so great, I am sure I am in for a hell of a time during my third trimester or a rough delivery or a colicky baby.

I have been more tired during this trimester than the last, which was a bit surprising considering I had heard you usually get more energy 2^nd. Keeping up with exercise has been a humongous help though and taking my lunch break nap. I live for my lunch break even more than I did before getting pregnant. I am absolutely dying to know what we are having. I am pretty sure we will find out the last week in February. I have always been a little bit turned off when people say what they are hoping to have, only because I think it takes away the happiness of simply just knowing you are having a healthy baby. Trust me , we are so stinkin thrilled and grateful that we are pregnant that we will be happy no matter what. That being said, my heart is slightly more set on having a boy. I would absolutely adore a little girl and know that she would be perfect for us, but I have had SO much girl in my life.  As in I grew up with the females in my family outweighing the males 3:1, most of my cousins are all girls (my second cousins, which there are a wonderful number of, are seriously 80% girls), and every single calling I have ever held in church has been directly related to helping women/girls. I have loved every minute of my girl world, but I would love to mix it up a bit and get some blue added to the mix of my very pink family. Also, ever since I saw baby pictures of Sel all I have wanted was a mini Sel. Oh my heavens was he adorbs. Obviously he would have had to be to end up so dashing and Thor like, but I have actually cried while looking at his baby pictures because I love his tiny boy self so much. I ultimately am just 100% happy that we are having this little thing and will love it to pieces whether it is a boy, girl, black (though there would be a few questions with this one), or white.

Other recently cool news, I have been feeling the baby move! It's so incredible. I cannot wait until it feels more like jabs and kicks instead of tiny hamster feet running around inside of me when I eat something cold or extra sugary. 

Here is a picture at 17 weeks. I know I am weird and will likely regret this in the not too distant future, but I am so excited to see this bump just get bigger and bigger as our baby grows.

  

Cause pregnancy = sexy